Carbon remover and method of using the same



aiented July 114i, 11%36 U l. ST S CARBON REMOVE-R AND METHOD OF USING THE SAllIE No Drawing. Application May 3, i932,

Serial No. 609,030

This invention relates to improvements in liquid compositions for removing or loosenin carbon deposits, and to methods of using such compositions. comprises basic organic compounds.

An object of the invention is to produce a (powerful and efficient carbon remover, yet one which is substantially non-corrosive in its action on the metal parts with which it comes in contact.

The invention includes the use as carbon removers of chemical compounds of the onium base type. By this term is meant organic bases in which organic radicals are connected to the elements to which the OH radical of the base is attached but to which no H atoms are attached. These onium bases have relatively high dissociation constants of the order of those of the alkali hydroxides.

Tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide is one of these onium bases which has proved successful; a solution in water was used. Other examples are:

Tetraethyl ammonium hydroxide Tetraethanol ammonium hydroxide Diethyl-monomethyl sulfonium hydroxide Trimethyl tin hydroxide. (This may be called trimethyl stannonium hydroxide.) Triphenyl tin hydroxide These onium bases may be used in solution in water, alcohol, or any other suitable solvent, and may be applied to the carbon coated parts such as pistons, rings valves, and other parts of an internal combustion engine, in any suitable manner so that the liquid will be allowed to remain in contact with the carbon deposit a suflicient length of time to allow it to act upon the deposit. For

example, an internal combustion engine is first allowed to cool slightly after running and then the carbon. remover may be injected into the cylinders directly through the spark plug openings or into the intake manifold for discharge into the cylinders. After standing for a time (several hours or preferably over night), the carbon is flaked loose from the metal, and is-then either burned during operation of the motor, or washed down into the/crank case by oil seepage or blown out through the exhaust. The carbon remover may also be added directly into the crank case periodically to remove carbon on the inner surfaces of the crank case and the under side of the pistons.

The temperature" at which these onium bases are used is not material other than that they cannot be used at temperatures higher than The improved carbon remover by immersing directly in the carbon remover sothose at which they decompose or tend to escape too rapidly in the vapor state. 'They will work in the cold but they will work better warm so the preferred practice is to use them at as high a temperature as practical. vaporization may be permitted when suitable vapor recovery means are provided, or vaporization may be retarded by operating under pressure. As these onium bases have decomposition and vaporization tempera tures covering a wide range,- it is possible to select 1 I a suitableone according to the temperature at which it is desired to use it for removing carbon.

Although the exact mechanism of the action or reactions involved in the use of this onium base carbon remover. is not well understood, it is believed that it attacks the acidic gummy binder which causes the carbon deposit to adhere to the parts of an internal combustion engine for example, and as a result loosens the deposit in such away as to free stuck piston rings, valves, etc.

A typical formula is Rn--XOH in which Rn are organic radicals (not necessarily the same), and X is one of the-various onium base elements, such as nitrogen, arsenic, phosphorus, sulphur,

iodine and various metals, for example, tin, bismuth, antimony and other elements capable of forming onium compounds. In general, any of the elements in the right hand columns of the 4th, 5th and 6th groups of the periodic table are capable of forming suchonium compounds. The

subscript n represents one less than the valence of X. Thus the compounds used in the present v invention will be usually either tertiary or quaternary hydroxides depending upon the valence of *the onium baseelement.

i The substituted radicals to be combined with the onium base element may be any organic radicals and may comprise either the same or different members in the same series, as methyl, ethyl, etc., or in different series, as alkyl, aryl, alcohols, or mixed or substituted groups. Also tertiaryheterocyclic onium base compounds are suitable, for example, those of the pyridin type having a nitrogen atom ln the ring, and. thehomologs of such compounds. The chief requirement is that all hydrogen atoms originally connected directly with the onium base element should be completely sub- 'stitutedby organic radicals.

The use of onium bases has been suggested above for removing carbon in internal combustion engines but they may also be used for cleaning other carbon coated parts, such as spark-plugs,

gas burners, stoves, etc. Small parts such as spark-plugs, etc have been treated satisfactorily lution.

on to sweep oil. the loosened carbon. The solution may be re-used so long as eflective.

The specific embodiments of the invention described are subject to various changes andit is intended to claim all novelty inherent in the invention as far as the prior'art permits.

We claim:

1. A carbon remover comprising a basic organic compound of the onium base type. I 2. A carbon remover comprising a basic onium organic compound having a plurality of monovalent organic radicals containing at least one carbon atom and an 01-1 radical linked to anitrogen atom.

3. A carbon remover comprising a basic organic compound of the onium base typein which the onium base element is' a part of acyclic structure. 1

'4. A carbon remover comprising a basic onium organic compound having a plurality oi. monovalent organic radicals containing at least one carbon atom and an OH radical linked tokan inorganic element capable'oi forming onium compounds.

5. A carbon remover comprising a basic onium organic compound having a high dissociation constant of the order of that of the alkali hydroxides and having only atoms other than hydro gen linked by means of single bonds to the element to which the H radical is attached.

6. A carbon remover comprising an onium base compound of one of the elements in the right hand column of the 4th, 5th and 6th groups of the periodic table.

'7. A carbon remover comprising a basic onium organic compound having a plurality oi monovalent organic radicalsmontainingat least one carbon atom and also an O H radical attached to the 4th, 5th and 6th groups oi! the. periodic table. 8. A carbon remover comprising substituted ammonium hydroxide in which the hydrogen They are preferably then removed, or the solution drawn ofi, and a blast of air turned atoms originally linked to the nitrogen are replaced by organic radicals.

9. A carbon remover comprising tetramethyl Rn are mono-valent organic-radicals and X is an element in the right hand column of the 4th, 5th

and 6th groups of the periodic table.

13. Method of cleaning articles coated with adherent carbon deposits. comprising contacting the articles with a solution of an onium organic base in a suitable solvent for said onium compound and removing the loosened carbon.

14." Method of loosening carbon deposits in an internal combustion engine. which comprises injecting into said internal combustion engine a composition comprising a basic organic compound of the onium base type.

; Method of cleaning surfaces coated with adherent carbon deposits, which comprises con tacting said surfaces with a solution comprising an aqueous solvent and a basic onium organic compound of an inorganic element capable of forming onium compounds to which a plurality of mono-valent organic radicals containing at least one carbon atom and a hydroxyl radical are' attached.

16. A carbon remover comprising a basic organic compound of the onium base type dissolved in a suitable solvent for said onium compound.

17. A carbon remover comprising a basic organic compound of the oniuifi base type dissolved in a suitable solvent ofthe class consisting of water and alcohol.

18. A carbon remover comprising a solution of about 10% strength of a basic organic compound oi. the onium base type.

HYYM n. BUC. 

